Vending machine



Nov. 10, 1931. l F. c. MYER A 1,81%()806 VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 9. 1929 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 'PATENT l OFFICE- FBED C. MYER, or SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA vENmNG MACHINE f j l .Application led September 9, .1929.-` SerialiNo. 391,392.

This invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly to the coin control mechanism of a vending machine in which a manually operated llever releases the merfchandise to'be sold.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide means for normally locking the operating lever against movement, and further means to release the `operating lever upon the 4insertion of a coin of the proper denomination. f f

Anotherobject is to provide means whereby a plurality of coins may' operate the machine. A A further object is the construction of a .coin controlled vending machine with a minimum number of parts, the working of which will not be liable to become out of order.

Other .objectsand advantages will appear as the description progresses.-

`Inthis specification and the accompanyingdrawings the invention is disclosed in its preferred orm, but it is to beA understood thatl it is not limited to this form beca-use itinay be embodied in other forms. It is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, the invention is intended to be covered in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

In the one sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism in part section taken on the line 1--1 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modiiied form of the invention in which two or more coins are used to release the lever.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing the mechanism for aligning the coins. Y

In detail the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is as follows:

The operating lever 1 is pivoted on the shaft 2 which is fixed in the casing of the vending machine 3. The spring 3 holds the operatinglever in raised position. The coin chute 4 guides the coin 5 into the groove 6 in the arm 7 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 2.

. The projection 8 extends from the side of 50 the lever 1 and has the groove9 to receive the top of the can. A short ankio ispivoad on the projection 8 at 11. A slot 12 is provided in the link 10 to receive the prin 13 which' isfixed to the arm 7. The locking pawl 14 is 'pivoted at 15 on the, brackets 16 and 17, 55 lwhich are attached to the casing by the 1101x518. v n The pawl 14 has the depending lug 19 Vwhich projects into the path of downward Ymovement of the arm 7. The bar 20, traversf ing the brackets, carries the spring 21 which expands against the lug 19 to hold the notched end 22 lof the pawl 14 under the lever 1. A spring memberr 28 is iXed to the casing at 24 andengages the V shaped notches 25 in the 65 arm 7 to hold the arm in one of two predeter minedpositions. l The operation of the device is as followsz' The requisite coin isv droppeddownthe s chute 4 and guided into the grooves inthe 70 projecting lugj8 and arm'7. The operating lever is then lowered manually which'causes the projection`8 to bear on the top ofthe coin. Thisv presses the arm 7 downward so as to contact'the lug 19 ofthe pawl 14. L'The 75 pawl t 14 j is thereby tilted, throwing the notchedr end 22 out of the path of the lever 1. The operating lever continues 'to descend and releases the appropriate merchandise'by the conventional means. Unlessy the requisite 8o coin .is inserted lin themachine, thenotched end- 22 oi the pawl 14 prevents movement of thevoperating lever 1.l Y, n Y y The coiny is' held between the arm 7 and the projection 8, until the completion of-the operative movement. The spring -23y then Vsnaps into the vlower notch`25. IThis causes the arm 7Vto travel more rapidly, thereby in 'creasing the distance between the projection 8 andthe arm 7. This releases the coin which 90 'rollsout into a suitable,container.'l The lever 1 returnsfto initial/position under the tension of the spring The arm 7 is raised with it by means of thef link 10. At theend of this movement, the spring member 23 snaps into 95 the upper notch 25. The pawl 14 is restored to normal position bythe return of the army 7 and locks the lever 1 against` further movefment.

It may be noted that the lever 1 is allowed 71H00 a limited downward movement by the pawl 14 to permit the throwing out of the end 22 if a coin is in position. However, this movement is too slight to operate the merchandise releasing means.

The modified form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 works upon the same principles ofoperation as the already described mechanism, provision being made for the use of three coins to control the mechanism.

The operating lever 26 is mounted on the shaft 27. The arms 28 and 29 have the coin receiving grooves 30 and 31 and areloosely' mounted on the shaft 27. nThe lever 26 has the projection 32 having the vgrooves 33 and B4-milled therein for receiving thetops of the coins. Thetwo locking pawls 37fand 38 are pivotedon the pin 39, which extends between the brackets 35 and 36. Thepawl 37 has the depending` lug 40 which projects-into the path of travel of the arm 28. The bar 42 traverses the brackets 35 and 86 and carries the spring 41 which expands against the lug 40. This holds the notched upper end in position under the lever 26. The pawl 38 has the depending lug 43. The bar 45 carries the spring 44 which expands against the lug 44 to hold the upper end in position under the level 1.

The links 47 and 48 are provided for the same purpose as the link 10 in Fig. 1. The springs 49 and 50 work in suitable notches in the arms 28 and 29 similar to the notches 25 in Fig. 1. The coins 5', 51 Aand 52v are guided into the grooves E50-33 and 31-34 by suitable chutes.

The operation of this form of the invention is identical to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in respect to the single coin 5. This coin would operate themachine were not the lever 26 held by the remaining pawl 88 until the coins 51 and 52 were inserted. When allthe coins are in place, the pawls 37 and 38 are both released upon movement of the lever 26, as in the simpler form. y It is obvious that different combinations of coins are possible. Coin 5 may be twentytive cents, and the two coins, ten cents each, which would total forty-five cents. v the coins were ve cents, the total would be fifteen cents.v Any practical number of arms and locking lugs can be used to work ditferent combinations.

a chutevto guide a coin between said projection and arm. v 4 v v 3. A vending machine coin control mech anism comprising a casing, an operati-ng lever pivoted insaid'casing, a plurality of pivoted Yarms adjacent to said lever, a plurality of pivoted locking members for said leversY in said casing, coin guides for each of said arms, and means to receive coinsbetween said lever and said arms whereby the movementof the levei'will move the arms to release the locking means.

4. A vending machine coin control mechanism comprising a casing, an operating lever pivoted in the casing, a projection on the side v of said lever, a pivoted arm adjacent said lever a pivoted locking lug for said lever,

meansl to release said locking lug by the movement of said arm, means kto receive a coin between said arm and said projection whereby the movement of the lever will move the arm to release said lever, a second pivoted arm having means to receive two ycoins one above another edgewise between the secondarm and 4said projection, a second locking lug for said lever, and' means on the second arm to release said lug whereby when both lugs are released the lever can complete its stroke.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 5th dav of August A. D. 1929.

FRED C. MYER.

ifaii Having thus described this invention, what g I' claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. A vending machine coin control mechanism comprising an operating lever .on a pivot, an arm on the same pivot,.1neans to lock the lever from operating movement, means on said arm for releasing said lock, and means for interposing a coin between said lever and said arm whereby the arm will unlock upon the movement' of said lever.

2. A vending machine coin control mechanism comprising an operatingl lever, a prolil() 

